Here’s my updated bracketology. Once again, it got really tough as I got closer to the final spots. However, the one and two-seed lines were very, very easy to figure out. Check out the full bracket below!

After a few weeks, it’s crazy to see how much the bracket has changed. Unfortunately, we don’t have a fancy program to show you what the bracket would look like, so we’ll have to settle for a list format until we come up with something better. Either way, here is how I see the field of 68 as of today. Don’t be afraid to disagree!

Well, it’s that time of year again–time for bracketologists everywhere to begin stacking up their predictions for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. This is the only bracket I’ll post in the month of January; once the Super Bowl passes, I’ll begin doing weekly brackets every Friday. In the bracket, I selected conference winners based on how the standings look as of today. Here is a breakdown of seeding, plus the link to the full bracket.

One Sentence: After another close win, Kentucky suddenly doesn’t look invincible anymore, making next Saturday’s road match-up against Alabama suddenly dangerous.

ON THE BUBBLE-In Good Shape

Arkansas

Record: 13-2

RPI: 12

SOS: 65

Non-Con SOS: 101

Key Wins: Dayton, at SMU, at Georgia

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: With the Clemson loss looking better, Arkansas’ resume continues to impress.

LSU

Record: 12-3

RPI: 41

SOS: 131

Non-Con SOS: 144

Key Wins: at West Virginia, Georgia

Bad Losses: at Missouri

One Sentence: Maybe I’m buying in too much to the West Virginia win, but LSU still owns the best non-conference win not collected by LSU.

ON THE BUBBLE-In the Mix

Georgia

Record: 9-5

RPI: 33

SOS: 8

Non-Con SOS: 22

Key Wins: Seton Hall

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: The Seton Hall win can only take Georgia so far, which means the best three for the Bulldogs (at Vanderbilt, Florida, Ole Miss, at Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt at home) are must wins.

Alabama

Record: 12-3

RPI: 27

SOS: 82

Non-Con SOS: 119

Key Wins: None

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: Alabama won a tough road game against Tennessee Saturday, and have a big week ahead with chances to snag two keys wins (at South Carolina, Kentucky at home).

ON THE BUBBLE-Need Some Work

South Carolina

Record: 9-5

RPI: 97

SOS: 93

Non-Con SOS: 114

Key Wins: vs. Iowa State, Oklahoma State

Bad Losses: vs. Akron

One Sentence: An 0-2 conference start and a bad loss against Akron in the non-conference, almost makes Tuesday’s Alabama game a must win.

Vanderbilt

Record: 11-4

RPI: 66

SOS: 114

Non-Con SOS: 184

Key Wins: None

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: A missed chance at Arkansas makes the next game against Georgia a must win as Vandy searches for a quality victory.

Tennessee

Record: 9-5

RPI: 67

SOS: 60

Non-Con SOS: 65

Key Wins: Butler

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: After getting squashed at home by Alabama, Tennessee is on the brink of elimination from the bubble.

Ole Miss

Record: 10-5

RPI: 56

SOS: 40

Non-Con SOS: 90

Key Wins: vs. Cincinnati

Bad Losses: Charleston Southern

One Sentence: Ole Miss is barely hanging in the mix, making this week a very important slate for the Rebels (vs. LSU, at Arkansas).

Texas A&M

Record: 9-5

RPI: 58

SOS: 32

Non-Con SOS: 96

Key Wins: None

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: A missed chance against Kentucky is disappointing, but also positive because it showed the talent and potential of the Aggies.

OUT-Until Further Notice

Florida (9-6)-A nice start to conference play shows the true ability and talent of this team.

Missouri (7-8)-A home win against LSU is a nice start to the career of Kim Anderson at Mizzou.

Auburn (9-6)-Bruce Pearl is turning around this program, but they need one more year.

Mississippi State (7-8)-The Bulldogs have a solid player in Craig Sword, but not much else.

Happy New Year! We’re a few weeks away from my weekly bracketology, which I cannot wait to start on, so until then I’ll be viewing the SEC as a whole and determining who is on the bubble, who should already be in, and what all of those resumes look like. I think the ceiling for this league is 5 bids, but only time will tell. Here we go!

One Sentence: The C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS are a lock for the tournament and most likely will snag the number one overall seed.

ON THE BUBBLE-In Good Shape

Arkansas

Record: 12-2

RPI: 19

SOS: 88

Non-Con SOS: 123

Key Wins: at SMU, Dayton, at Georgia

Bad Losses: at Clemson

One Sentence: This team is dangerous and, barring a string of bad losses, should be a force in March.

LSU

Record: 11-2

RPI: 38

SOS: 140

Non-Con SOS: 143

Key Wins: at West Virginia

Bad Losses: vs. Clemson

One Sentence: The resume isn’t the strongest overall by any means, but the Tigers own the best non-conference win of anyone in the league not named Kentucky: a road victory at West Virginia (RPI: 9).

ON THE BUBBLE-In the Mix

Georgia

Record: 9-4

RPI: 24

SOS: 8

Non-Con SOS: 14

Key Wins: Seton Hall

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: Georgia has a boring resume with one bright spot (a win over Seton Hall) but huge chances ahead.

Alabama

Record: 11-3

RPI: 36

SOS: 69

Non-Con SOS: 87

Key Wins: None

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: Another team with a boring resume, Alabama must take advantage of home games against Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina.

South Carolina

Record: 9-3

RPI: 74

SOS: 122

Non-Con SOS: 124

Key Wins: vs. Iowa State, Oklahoma State

Bad Losses: vs. Akron

One Sentence: The wins over OSU and ISU are huge, but with an unimpressive RPI and SOS, the Gamecocks will need a strong showing in SEC play to remain on the bubble.

ON THE BUBBLE-Need Some Work

Tennessee

Record: 8-4

RPI: 71

SOS: 70

Non-Con SOS: 70

Key Wins: Butler

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: Tennessee fought hard in the non-conference, but the Vols will need its young team to grow up quickly to have a shot at March.

Vanderbilt

Record: 11-3

RPI: 63

SOS: 124

Non-Con SOS: 135

Key Wins: None

Bad Losses: None

One Sentence: Another young and talented team, Vanderbilt will need to upset some people in their next five games (at Arkansas, Georgia, at Mississippi State, at Kentucky, LSU) to have a legitimate shot at the bracket.

Ole Miss

Record: 9-5

SOS: 33

Non-Con SOS: 68

Key Wins: vs. Cincinnati

Bad Losses: Western Kentucky, Charleston Southern

One Sentence: A nice win over Cincinnati can’t mask two horrible losses at home; however, this is a talented team that can get hot at any time.

OUT-Until Further Notice

Florida (7-6)-Gators couldn’t finish games, or they’d be right in the thick of it.

Mississippi State (7-6)-A promising start has spiraled into the expected spot for Mississippi State.

Missouri (6-7)-Scrappy but not there yet, Missouri has the worst loss in the conference (UMKC-RPI: 314).

Texas A&M (9-4)-Nothing on the resume that makes me think the Aggies have a shot (best win: Sam Houston State).

Do you realize what happened today? Do you understand the magnitude of today’s news? This afternoon, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced his pending retirement, effective July 31, 2015. I didn’t know until a few hours after the information became official on SECSports.com. During practice, I could feel my phone buzzing in my jacket pocket, but I didn’t realize that the device was trying to tell me news that I had been expecting for a while now, yet still didn’t want to accept.

On October 14th, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced his retirement, effective July 31, 2015.

I wish that I could say I remember the first time I met Commissioner Slive; however, I really don’t. For a lot of my young life, since I was lucky enough to attend the SEC Football Championship and SEC Basketball Tournament every year, he was there. Always a gentleman, Commissioner never passed by without a hello, out-stretched hand, and a smile. Slive came in to lead the conference in the summer of 2002, replacing the amazing Roy Kramer. Slive had huge shoes to fill, a fact that didn’t phase him one bit. I know this because once he came, things began happening. Now, over the almost 13 year span of Slive’s tenure, the league has notched 67 national championships in 15 sports, including the unbelievable feat of seven consecutive college football BCS National titles. Also in those 12 and a half years, Commissioner Slive oversaw the launch of the SEC Network, the addition of two new universities to the SEC (Texas A&M and Missouri), and numerous committees including the NCAA Basketball Tournament Committee in 08-09. Oh, and don’t forget that during his tenure he also saw the marriage of his daughter, Anna, and the birth of his granddaughter, Abigail. For as long as I can remember, he has been the face of the conference. Commissioner Slive has always been there on the sidelines, watching the action diligently with Anna nearby and a staff member close at hand. He has ruled the greatest collegiate conference in America with grace and dignity.

Mike Slive the Commissioner is a pretty impressive guy; Mike Slive the man is even better. He just genuinely cares about you. I remember when I was contemplating leaving Alabama for Woodberry. Commissioner Slive and his wife, Liz, came over for a little lunch one day, and I inquired to the commissioner if he would be so inclined to fill out a recommendation for me to get into boarding school. It would have been very easy for him to say no. Heck, Commissioner Slive could have just said yes, taken a few moments to fill out the forms, and then given them back to me to mail. Instead, in typical Mike Slive form, he sat me down and discussed with me this decision. Why did I want to go? What was I looking to get out of going away from home? What were my thoughts about leaving behind my friends, family, and everything I was so accustomed to? That talk was my first true discussion about Woodberry. It affirmed my thoughts about leaving, but the conversation also showed me the true nature of Commissioner Slive. He really did care; not just about me, but my family, his friends, his staff, and so many other people. I have been honored to work with the staff at the SEC Basketball Tournament, and I have seen behind-the-scenes the way Commissioner Slive interacts with people. He truly is a master with people.

Commissioner Slive with his daughter Anna and granddaughter Abigail.

Reading about the end, seeing a date…well, it makes you think about the beginning. Today, I was reminded of all the memories I have had involving Mike Slive. I remembered the time we rode in his police escort from an LSU-Florida game (my first time with an escort) and our car drove on the median towards the airport. I remembered all of the congratulatory handshakes I have given to the commissioner after successful SEC Football Championship Games or after the SEC racked up another BCS National Championship. I recalled listening to Commissioner Slive’s speeches at the H. Boyd McWhorter Awards Dinner at SEC Spring Meetings and hearing his yearly reference to sitting on the porch, smoking a cigar and overlooking the view from his backyard at his home in Vestavia while reflecting on the past year. The tenure of Commissioner Slive has changed the face of the Southeastern Conference, the landscape of college sports, and my life. The Slives won’t be gone; a text from Liz Slive, Commissioner’s wife and my favorite tango partner, to my mom says, “We aren’t going anywhere.” However, a change is coming at the top in the SEC Office. And now, with this change, Commissioner Slive will get more time to sit on his back porch overlooking the view and reflecting on the past 13 very, very good years.

A poor week last week caused my average to dip almost 9%. I whiffed on a lot of the big games, mainly the Michigan game. It’s still a long season, though, and I’m going to bounce back this weekend.

Top 25

#8 Baylor 51, Buffalo 17.

Bryce Petty is expected to return in this one after missing last week’s game due to a back injury. Even if he didn’t play though, the Bears simply have too much talent for Buffalo. Expect Baylor to score at least 35 in the first half, and don’t expect to see Petty for more than a quarter and a half.

#2 Oregon 61, Wyoming 20.

Oregon’s defense showed us a lot last week. As the game progressed against Michigan State, the defense just got stronger and stronger. That is scary for opponents. Wyoming might be able to move the ball some, but the Cowboys don’t have nearly enough firepower to stay with the Ducks. Mariota will cruise yet again and the Ducks will prove why they deserve the number two ranking.

#3 Alabama 45, Southern Miss 3.

Again, this game is only interesting to watch for the quarterback play. Who starts? I would assume Sims, but you never know. What does Coker do when he comes in? After watching both quarterbacks in game situations, I think Sims is the guy for now. Coker doesn’t have the command he needs to quarterback the Tide. Also, expect another 100+ yard day for Tide receiver Amari Cooper.

Can Justin Worley lead Tennessee to a shocking upset at Oklahoma?

#4 Oklahoma 38, Tennessee 20

As I said on Gray’s Sports Update last night, I have a lot of faith in this Vols team. I think they’re a year away from where they want to be, but they can still compete against the Sooners in Norman. Justin Worley has shown a lot so far this year, and he has a host of talented receivers around him. That being said, playing in Norman will be ust too tough for Tennessee to get the win. Trevor Knight will explode in the second half to pull away from the young Vols, showing that his last game against an SEC defense (vs. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl) wasn’t a fluke.

#6 Georgia 27, #24 South Carolina 17.

Georgia is just too good offensively, and South Carolina is just too suspect defensively. That’s what this game comes down to: can the Gamecocks stop Gurley? And, even if they slow down Gurley, can they stop the entourage behind him including Nick Chubb and Keith Marshall? I say no, and I don’t think it’s close. Georgia will pull out ahead early,

#7 Texas A&M 52, Rice 24.

Kenny Trill will be back at it this weekend against an outmanned Rice team. The Owls can move the ball (they showed a little bit of that against Notre Dame), but they won’t be able to score nearly enough points to beat the Aggies. This game will prove just how much progress the Texas A&M defense has made this year; they played well against South Carolina, but can they back it up?

#9 USC 34, Boston College 13.

An East Coast trip for the Trojans after last week’s miraculous win over Stanford shouldn’t be much of a challenge. Cody Kessler has shown his moxie early in the season so far, and I expect his great play to continue in this game. Tyler Murphy, the Florida transfer, may give the Trojan defense some problems, but when it’s all said and done this should be an easy win for Sark’s squad.

#10 LSU 31, Louisiana-Monroe 7.

The LSU freshman will have another shot to shine against an average Louisiana-Monroe team. The Warhawks beat Wake Forest to open the year, but the Tigers from Baton Rouge are a whole different animal. Les Miles rolls.

#11 Notre Dame 38, Purdue 21.

Notre Dame had, in my mind, the most impressive performance last week simply because I had them losing to Michigan and they wound up winning 31-0. The defense looks stronger than in 2011-2012, Everett Golson is playing locked in, and Purdue is still terrible. That all spells out to an easy Irish win.

#12 UCLA 20, Texas 6.

Does Texas have the resiliency or even the talent to stay in this one? As Jerry Palm said on Gray’s Sports Update, the Longhorns have to start playing for each other. Last week’s 41-7 loss was embarrassing. Now, against a premiere Pac-12 opponent, can Charlie Strong will his team to victory? I don’t think so. Again, Texas will struggle to score against a UCLA defense that will look a lot better than it did last week. Don’t expect to be blown away by Brett Hundley in this one, though.

#14 Ole Miss 43, Louisiana-Lafayette 21.

Bo Wallace played a good game against Vanderbilt. Typically in his career, Wallace has risen to his best level against inferior opponents. The Ole Miss defense has played fiercely so far this year, and I think we continue to see the “best of Bo” against the Ragin’ Cajuns.

#15 Stanford 37, Army 10.

Stanford should be flabbergasted and hacked off that they have a loss; last week’s game against USC was flocked with missed chances. I would assume David Shaw will have his team exact revenge this week against the Black Knights.

#16 Arizona State 42, Colorado 24.

Colorado has looked better this year; Still, I don’t think the Buffs will have an answer for Tyler Kelly and this Arizona State offense. This game will be one final tune-up for the Sun Devils before they take on a brutal stretch that includes UCLA, USC, and Stanford.

Frank Beamer’s squad is suddenly a major contender in the ACC after last week’s win over Ohio State.

#17 Virginia Tech 26, East Carolina 21.

East Carolina and Shane Carden should be able to challenge the Hokie corners; certainly more than the young freshman at Ohio State did. Still, Michael Brewer is doing something special with this team. I think the Hokies are back, and even though East Carolina will give them a late scare, Beamer Ball will improve to 3-0.

#20 Missouri 48, UCF 20.

Maty Mauk is playing unbelievable football right now. The defense is rolling, and I expect that domination to continue against a UCF team that doesn’t quite know its identity on offense. Missouri will once again prove that they weren’t just a flash in the pan.

#21 Louisville 24, Virginia 20.

Virginia has a very good defense. Louisville has a very good offense. Those two cancel out, which means this will be all about the Virginia offense vs. the Louisville defense. I would give the edge to Petrino’s club, simply based off of what I saw against Miami (FL) the first week of the season. I don’t think the Wahoos have enough firepower on O to crack the Louisville D.

#22 Ohio State 35, Kent State 10.

Can Ohio State bounce back after last week’s disappointing loss to Virginia Tech? Luckily, Kent State is on the schedule this week, so bouncing back shouldn’t be much of a problem. This week needs to be used to fix the problems have become obvious through the first two weeks of the year.

Texas Tech 30, Arkansas 28.

Arkansas’ pass defense is sparse. Texas Tech’s run defense is even worse. Arkansas loves to run, and Texas Tech loves to pass. So, which unit breaks first? I think that Arkansas will go away from the run in the second half, just like they did against Auburn. That’ll help the Red Raiders because their secondary isn’t that bad. Webb should have a good game, and Kingsbury will use a late field goal to get his squad to 3-0.

Iowa 17, Iowa State 12.

Maybe the ugliest game of the week, this face-off is all about who shoots themselves in the foot the least. Just based off of the eye test and overall talent, I like Iowa. The Hawkeyes have got to show us something if they want to prove that they can contend in the Big Ten. I think this game is that start of that process.

Solid Week 1, but I want a perfect week. This time around, there are a few more toss-ups on the slate. Here we go!

Top 25

#1 Florida State 48, The Citadel 7.

Jameis Winston and Florida State get going once again as they hum against this FCS team. The defense needs to prove a point in this match-up; a big day from the Bulldogs would definitely bring up more question marks.

Will we finally get a chance to see Jacob Coker at quarterback for Alabama?

#2 Alabama 44, Florida Atlantic 10.

This game will be a blowout, but it might still be worth watching simply to get a look at Jacob Coker. We’re assuming he’s going to play; Saban said he would and that this was still a QB “competition.” How will Coker do in his first real action and can Blake Sims back up last week’s performance with another good outing? In my opinion, I think Coker will have the better game.

#7 Michigan State 31, #3 Oregon 23.

I am sold on Michigan State. I honestly believe that they are the most SEC-like team in America, and I think they will give Oregon fits. All eyes will be on Marcus Mariota; this could be his early season Heisman moment. At the same time, a loss for Sparty could severely hurt the Big Ten’s CFP stock. I think this game will be tight early, but in the end Michigan State will be just too physical for the Ducks. I think Connor Cook throws for three touchdowns and leads Mark Dantonio’s squad to a huge win.

#4 Oklahoma 31, Tulsa 13.

Trevor Knight played extremely well against Louisiana Tech, and I think he continues his run against the Golden Hurricanes. Tulsa has had a rough few years; it took two overtimes to beat Tulane last week, and I simply don’t think they can compete with the Sooners.

#5 Auburn 56, San Jose State 20.

Auburn’s defense has something to prove, but SJSU won’t be able to keep up. The Tigers will roll; watch for Cameron Artis-Payne to get over 150 rush yards in this one.

#8 Ohio State 28, Virginia Tech 25.

Ohio State still worries me. The loss of Braxton Miller really cannot be overstated. Even though the offense played better in the fourth quarter against Navy, I still feel like the Buckeyes have a long way to go. On the other side, Virginia Tech comes in with Texas Tech transfer Michael Brewer as quarterback. Brewer hasn’t shown anything amazing yet, but this could be his chance. I like the Hokies to take a lead into halftime, but I think Ohio State will make another second half comeback to steal a win in Columbus.

#9 Texas A&M 63, Lamar 14.

Poor Lamar. Kenny Trill is going to go insane in this one.

#10 Baylor 52, Northwestern State 0.

If I were Art Briles, I wouldn’t play Bryce Petty even if he is available. Petty hurt his back against SMU, cracking his vertebrae. Simply put, there are bigger and better things ahead this season for Baylor. Risking a re-injury to get him a start in basically an automatic win would no be smart.

#11 UCLA 41, Memphis 17.

Memphis is no Virginia. The Cavaliers did a great job shutting down the Bruins’ attack. Brett Hundley looked rushed and pedestrian against UVA, but that all will change against Memphis. The Tigers will get crushed and UCLA will show us how good they can be.

#12 LSU 38, Sam Houston State 7.

Sam Houston State is a decent FCS team–one of the best actually. Watching the battle of Brandon Harris-Anthony Jennings will be interesting. Plus, can Leonard Fournette show us his potential in this game after a poor effort against Wisconsin?

#13 Stanford 27, #14 USC 26.

This is one of the best games of the weekend. Steve Sarkisian’s squad looked fantastic against Fresno State, and Cody Kessler did a great job spreading the ball around. Stanford comes in with a veteran quarterback and a tough defense that will be gearing to shut down the Trojans. This will be a wonderful contest, but I expect the Cardinal to win on a last-second field goal.

#15 Ole Miss 34, Vanderbilt 6.

A few weeks ago, I thought that Vanderbilt would make this a tough game. After seeing the disaster in Week 1 though, I can now guarantee an Ole Miss win. Bo Wallace will only throw two picks this week.

Devin Gardner needs a big game to help Michigan beat Notre Dame in (possibly) the last installment of their rivalry.

Michigan 31, #16 Notre Dame 27.

It brings a tear to my eyes that this is the (possible) final year of this rivalry. It’s brought us many great memories over the years, and I think this final game will be just as epic. Michigan show that they can run the ball against App State, and Devin Gardner to Devin Funchess might have been the connection of the weekend. Notre Dame looked re-energized with Everett Golson back at quarterback. I like Michigan to win this one on a late drive that concludes with a pass from Devin to Devin.

#17 Arizona State 51, New Mexico 17.

Tyler Kelly continues his early season tear continues against the outmatched Lobos. The Sun Devils should jump out to a big lead early and never look back.

#18 Wisconsin 30, Western Illinois 3.

Since Joel Stave is apparently out for a while, Tanner McEvoy will be the starter the whole game. I expect McEvoy to finally get on track, for Melvin Gordan to have a huge game, and for the Badgers’ defense to flex its muscles in a huge win to get to 1-1.

#19 Nebraska 66, McNeese State 7.

Ameer Abdullah. That is a name you should know going forward. Bo Pelini won’t hold his team back this week and the Huskers will pounce all over McNeese State.

#20 Kansas State 27, Iowa State 7.

Iowa State showed us that they aren’t ready quite yet for the big time after a loss to FCS North Dakota State. Kansas State needs to use this game as a tune-up for the match-up against Auburn on September 18th, and I expect Bill Snyder’s squad to run away with this one against the Cyclones.

#21 South Carolina 48, East Carolina 35.

The Pirates won’t be a cakewalk. They can put up some points, and after watching the Gamecocks against Texas A&M, a high-powered offense is definitely not what the doctor ordered. Dylan Thompson must have a good day and Mike Davis needs to get on track to help South Carolina stay away from an 0-2 start. I like Spurrier’s squad to win, but this one will be entertaining.

#21 North Carolina 37, San Diego State 20.

UNC struggled a bit last week against Liberty before pulling away in the second half. This Aztec team isn’t quite as good as past teams, so expect the Tar Heels to pull away in this one.

#23 Clemson 34, South Carolina State 6.

A much needed win for Clemson will give them a chance to look at two quarterbacks–Cole Stoudt and Deshaun Watson will most likely battle for the opportunity to start in two weeks against Florida State.

#24 Missouri 36, Toledo 21.

Missouri will get pushed here simply because Toledo has lots of talent and speed. However, I think Maty Mauk will open up the offense and lead Miz-zou to a big win against a quality team.

#25 Louisville 44, Murray State 3.

My dark horse for the year will continue to learn more about themselves against the FCS Racers. Will Gardner will continue to develop and the defense will show just how good they are for the second week in a row.

Texas 23, BYU 21.

In the wake of the newest suspensions out in Texas, many might be jumping on board with BYU here. I’m not abandoning ship quite yet; the Longhorns’ defense played amazing in Week 1 (albeit against North Texas), and I think they feel like that have something to prove after getting run all over by the Cougars last year. Losing David Ash is huge, but I think the offense will be able to muster just enough points to win.

This year, I am going to be posting my picks for each week in college football. I’ll pick every Top 25 game, plus a few others that I think mean something. My goal for the year is to be better than 78% correct with these predictions. Here we go!

Top 25

#9 South Carolina 27, #21 Texas A&M 17.

In the first game of the SEC Network, South Carolina will host a Texas A&M team that will try to move on from the Johnny Manziel era. The Aggie defense is supposed to be better this year, but have they improved enough to where they can shut down Gamecock runner Mike Davis? I doubt it. Kenny Hill will have some flashes of brilliance, but in the end Spurrier will prove to be too much.

#18 Ole Miss 34, Boise State 21.

This is supposed to be the year where Ole Miss finally breaks through into the upper-tier of the SEC. Of course, to get that campaign going, they must open the year with a big win against the Broncos. I think that Boise will give the Rebels a very good game; however, there just isn’t enough firepower for Boise to keep up with Bo Wallace and Hugh Freeze.

#19 Arizona State 59, Weber State 14.

An easy game to kick off the year for the Sun Devils. Tyler Kelly posts unbelievable numbers in this route.

#8 Michigan State 30, Jacksonville State 10.

The Gamecocks from Jacksonville, Alabama, are a very solid team. However, I don’t think there offense will have nearly enough to put a dent in the Spartans’ defensive armor. Connor Cook will ease in to his role as full-time starter, and Michigan State wins going away.

#1 Florida State 41, Oklahoma State 27.

The Seminoles kick off their campaign to repeat as national champions against a middle of the pack Big 12 team. I doubt we see much from Oklahoma State this year (I have them 7-5), and while I do think they will score some points, the Cowboys won’t really scare Famous Jameis and the ‘Noles.

#2 Alabama 38, West Virginia 10.

The question is not whether West Virginia will give Alabama a tough game, but instead who the starting quarterback will be for the Crimson Tide. Either way, expect to see a heavy dose of T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry. I would assume Jacob Coker and Blake Sims will split time, so it’ll be interesting to see if either can separate himself in the quarterback race.

#3 Oregon 66, South Dakota 7.

This one won’t be close. Marcus Mariota will begin his Heisman campaign with a HUGE game against lesser competition.

#4 Oklahoma 40, Louisiana Tech 17.

Most years, Louisiana Tech might provide stiff competition. However, this is not the same Bulldogs team we usually see. Plus, this is one of the best Oklahoma teams that Bob Stoops has fielded in years. Watch for the Sooners to pull away early.

#5 Ohio State 26, Navy 24.

Life without Braxton Miller begins. How will Ohio State respond? This game will be a huge test for them. Navy is much improved; Keenan Reynolds is a wonderful duel-threat quarterback who will give the Buckeyes’ defense a huge test. This one will be fun, but I think a late field goal gives Ohio State the win.

#6 Auburn 37, Arkansas 17.

Arkansas is not terrible. Even last year, Arkansas had two of the best running backs in the SEC. The Razorbacks can move the football; the question mark is the defense. Can they stop Auburn? The Tigers return basically everyone on offense. They will score like crazy, just like last year. Arkansas may make it interesting early, but look for Nick Marshall to explode in the second half.

#7 UCLA 34, Virginia 7.

UCLA is the popular pick right now among media members to win the national championship. I’m not jumping on the bandwagon quite yet. However, Brett Hundley is a wonderful quarterback who will have a fantastic season. Virginia simply isn’t good enough to stay with the Bruins.

#11 Stanford 36, UC Davis 7.

Another Pac-12 easy victory. Stanford should not be challenged in this one.

#12 Georgia 38, #16 Clemson 31.

I am sold on Georgia. I think Hutson Mason is going to be a great quarterback for Georgia this year, and Todd Gurley will rekindle the magic he had in the freshman year running the football. This should be another fantastic game, but I just don’t think Clemson’s young offense can hang with the Bulldogs. They simply lost too many weapons.

Todd Gurley gets his chance to avenge last year’s loss to Clemson in this year’s opener.

#13 LSU 27, #14 Wisconsin 23.

I think this will be Wisconsin’s only loss this year. LSU lost a lot of talent, but that seems to be the story every year. Les Miles always finds a way to reload. It’ll be interesting to see which of the two LSU quarterbacks pulls ahead in the QB race. This game should be a classic.

#15 USC 50, Fresno State 31.

Fresno State comes in to the season without its leading passer (Derek Carr) and leading receiver (Devante Adams) from a year ago. USC comes in with a new coach and lots of new enthusiasm. This one will be high scoring, but I anticipate the Trojans to jump out to a big lead early and to never take their foot off the gas.

#17 Notre Dame 31, Rice 13.

Rice is decent, but a Notre Dame team led by Everett Golson will be looking to kick the season off on the right foot. Shout-out to Woodberry alum C.J. Prosise for the Irish.

#20 Kansas State 41, Stephen F. Austin 13.

The Wildcats should have this one in hand. Bill Snyder’s team has a lot of talent, and maybe it’s time they make a move in the Big 12 race.

#22 Nebraska 27, Florida Atlantic 3.

Tommy Armstrong Jr. will lead a Huskers attack against the Owls of Florida Atlantic. This one won’t be close.

#23 North Carolina 40, Liberty 23.

Liberty can actually score some points. They might give the Tar Heels some trouble early, but I anticipate the Larry Fedora-led squad to pull away.

#24 Missouri 49, South Dakota State 13.

An easy win for M-I-Z Z-O-U in the era of Maty Mauk. The development of the defense is key in this game.

#25 Washington 38, Hawaii 16.

Washington is not starting the quarterback they want, but it shouldn’t make much of a difference against a poor Hawaii team. The Rainbow Warriors don’t have the offense to keep up, and they don’t have the defense to stop the Huskies. The Chris Peterson era kicks off with a win.

#10 Baylor 51, SMU 26.

Baylor will pick up exactly where they left off last year scoring-wise, getting at least four touchdowns from Bryce Petty. SMU can score, but they can’t keep up with the Bears.

Louisville 23, Miami (FL) 13.

The Bobby Petrino era kicks off with a Monday night game at home. If Louisville wants to be the team they can be, they need this win. Quarterback Will Gardner will be the player to watch. Will he be as successful as the man he is replacing (Teddy Bridgewater)? I think yes.

Tennessee 36, Utah State 31.

Many think that the Aggies can pull off the upset. They certainly have the talent; Chuckie Keeton is one of the brightest stars in the game. Butch Jones needs this game to get the season going in the right direction. Justin Worley needs this game to prove himself as a reliable starter for the Vols.

With everybody posting their bold predictions for the 2014 college football season today, I realized maybe it’s time for me to get my picks out there. These were all made a few weeks ago, but I’m sticking with them. Here we go!

ACC

Atlantic

1. Florida State–11-1 (7-1)

2. Clemson–10-2 (7-1)

3. Louisville–9-3 (6-2)

4. Syracuse–6-6 (4-4)

5. NC State–6-6 (3-5)

6. Boston College–5-7 (2-6)

7. Wake Forest–3-9 (0-8)

I expect Louisville to hand Florida State it’s lone loss of the regular season.

Coastal

1. Virginia Tech–9-3 (6-2)

2. Miami (FL)–8-4 (6-2)

3. Duke–9-3 (5-3)

4. North Carolina–8-4 (5-3)

5. Pittsburgh–7-5 (4-4)

6. Georgia Tech–5-7 (2-6)

7. Virginia–2-10 (0-8)

ACC Championship Game: Florida State over Virginia Tech

Three Bold Predictions

1. Louisville will upset Florida State on October 30th.

2. Jameis Winston won’t win the Heisman

3. Clemson finally beats South Carolina.

Big Ten

East

1. Michigan State–11-1 (7-1)

2. Ohio State–11-1 (7-1)

3. Michigan–9-3 (6-2)

4. Penn State–10-2 (6-2)

5. Indiana–6-6 (3-5)

6. Maryland–6-6 (2-6)

7. Rutgers–3-9 (0-8)

West

1. Wisconsin–11-1 (8-0)

2. Nebraska–9-3 (5-3)

3. Iowa–9-3 (5-3)

4. Northwestern–7-5 (4-4)

5. Illinois–5-5 (2-6)

6. Minnesota–4-8 (1-7)

7. Purdue–3-9 (0-8)

Connor Cook is ready to lead Michigan State to a Big Ten title.

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State over Wisconsin

Three Bold Predictions

1. Michigan State beats Oregon in Eugene.

2. Wisconsin runs the table in conference play.

3. James Franklin wins Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Big 12

1. Oklahoma–11-1 (8-1)

2. Baylor–10-2 (7-2)

3. Texas–10-2 (7-2)

4. TCU–9-3 (6-3)

5. Kansas State–7-5 (5-4)

6. Oklahoma State–7-5 (5-4)

7. Texas Tech–6-6 (3-6)

8. Iowa State–4-8 (2-7)

9. West Virginia–2-10 (1-8)

10. Kansas–2-10 (0-9)

Three Bold Predictions

1. Texas beats Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.

2. Texas beats UCLA to shock all of the media members picking the Bruins to win it all.

3. Charlie Weis gets fired after Kansas loses at home to Iowa State.

Pac-12

North

1. Oregon–10-2 (8-1)

2. Stanford–9-3 (6-3)

3. Washington–9-4 (5-4)

4. Oregon State–8-4 (5-4)

5. Washington State–6-6 (3-6)

6. California–2-10 (0-9)

South

1. UCLA–10-2 (8-1)

2. Arizona–8-4 (5-4)

3. USC–8-4 (5-4)

4. Arizona State–8-4 (5-4)

5. Utah–5-7 (3-6)

6. Colorado–3-9 (1-8)

Pac-12 Championship Game: Oregon over UCLA

Three Bold Predictions

1. A Pac-12 team misses the College Football Playoff.

2. Washington pulls off at least one huge upset.

3. USC is the league’s biggest disappointment.

SEC

East

1. Georgia–11-1 (7-1)

Will Muschamp is coaching for his job at Florida.

2. Florida–8-4 (5-3)

3. South Carolina–8-4 (5-3)

4. Tennessee–7-5 (4-4)

5. Missouri 8-4 (4-4)

6. Vanderbilt–5-7 (1-7)

7. Kentucky–3-9 (0-8)

West

1. Alabama–12-0 (8-0)

2. Auburn–10-2 (6-2)

3. LSU–9-3 (5-3)

4. Mississippi State 9-3 (5-3)

5. Texas A&M–7-5 (3-5)

6. Ole Miss–7-5 (3-5)

7. Arkansas–3-9 (0-8)

SEC Championship Game: Alabama over Georgia

Three Bold Predictions

1. Alabama and Georgia get revenge on Auburn…but those two games are the only ones Auburn loses.

2. Kentucky will scare some people this year.

3. Dak Prescott is voted 1st Team All-SEC Quarterback.

College Football Playoff Predictions

Sugar Bowl: 1 Alabama over 4 Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: 3 Michigan State over 2 Florida State

CFP National Championship: 1 Alabama over 3 Michigan State

Heisman Trophy Winner

Trevor Knight, Oklahoma

Well, there you have it. All of my predictions. What do you think? Let me know!